Shadow of Oblivion
by Omega Light
Summary: They thought they'd saved the Planet, but now a different kind of shooting star signals the renewal of old ties and the appearance of a new enemy. Leads into Kingdom Hearts storyline. Chapter 4.5 posted 2.22.2006.
1. Chapter 1

**SHADOW OF OBLIVION**

_Notes: This story has been rolling around in my head for quite some time, and is slowly making its way into print. I've always wondered how the FFVII world ended up tangled with the Heartless, and what happened to their Planet._

_Here's what I think…_

**I. Prelude to Twilight**

For many days now, the stars have wavered in their paths. Once in a while, one would even fall silent, engulfed in blackness that hid it for the next night, and the next, and the next. Such things, to me, have over time been omens. It's strange to think so, due to my military training, but I suppose some habits will never die… though the man in me has long since passed on.

There's nothing left of my humanity to speak of… well, perhaps my sanity remains. It is what keeps me moving when I've no reason to go on; it is what allowed me to decide to follow that ragtag group of children to what seemed to be our deaths. Their deaths, really; as I mentioned, I am already dead, in a sense.

Oh, I'm still moving, still breathing, a perfect animation of what you would call life. Decades ago, a single bullet not only sent me to oblivion, but through so many hells one cannot begin to describe… I only remember my tormentors cool, collected voice as he took his notes, and caged me like some animal on the brink of consciousness… but despite those times, I still have some form of will, when it suits my well-closeted demons…

But the stars have been troubling. Within my heart the frown begins to grow, but I don't let it reach the exterior. Instead I walk, as I normally do, towards the source of this foul-smelling wind that has graced the air for some time. The ground, which was level last week, has given way to dusty hills and red cliffs – it seems I'm near to some possible aid, someone to soothe my thoughts.

Such a notion quickly shriveled as a dark figure leaped to the peak of a nearby mountain, raising a long muzzle to the moon and howling mournfully. I recognize it instantly, but I knew Red before the sound reached my ears. The wind caught my cloak, and with it my scent, turning his head towards me only a moment later. Keen yellow eyes affixed on mine, warning me to hold my ground as he approached.

"So. You've seen it too, then."

"I have."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I." I studied the great cat carefully, narrowing my eyes at the nervousness in his posture; there's so much there that reminds one of a human child. Like me, Red is unique. There are none like him in this plane of existence, and we are alone in our wanderings, our thoughts, and our lives…

"But, this is something I've never seen before. The stars…"

"The Planet itself has been stirring," I interjected calmly, motioning towards the earth. "As if it were sympathetic."

Confusion fills his good eye. Ah, but I forget, he is not as close to the fate of this world as I am. The green beneath the surface many people call the great beyond, the next adventure after they cast off their physical shells… The green is my shackle and chain, and all at once I am barred from it forever: the Lifestream. Curse it…

Fortunately Red is no fool, and studies me with keen intelligence. "Has it? I thought perhaps the instruments had been malfunctioning…" But then he snorted, knowing that such could not be so. Cosmo Canyon, known for its accuracy and precision in the study of our world, incorrect in their measurements? It was absurd as trying to assert that Sephiroth never existed.

Sephiroth… by Phoenix, how his eyes had burned, so much like his mother's, accusing… his face so angled and chiseled… not at all like the one who claimed to be his sire…

"Vincent?"

It was his eyes that I remember the most… they reminded of another man I knew, one very like him in many ways, but perhaps a gentler beast, a 'what might have been', perhaps, had he been raised differently.

"Vincent?"

This time I heard him, blinking before murmuring a wordless acknowledgement. Seeing that I now paid attention, Red smiled, or as best he could with a feline muzzle. A curious sight, really.

"What do you think?"

I released a long breath, watching it frost in the cool desert air. I knew the answer as it lay on the tip of my tongue, rolling about as if insisting I give it voice. At last my sigh ended, and the silence grew even longer.

"I suppose we'll have to tell him," I answered at length, "but I suppose he's figured it out himself, already."

.o.o.o.

Damn. Have I not done enough?

The voices never left, you know. It still hurts to listen to that cacophony… but even more so when I try to block it all out. But that's my curse, isn't it? That's what was in store for me – my fate had been sold to Hell a long time ago. Funny thing, too, since I didn't believe in anything back then.

Okay, that's a bit of a lie.

At one time, I believed in someone I could never be, but tried to anyway. I never got very far, and what seemed to be my greatest stroke of luck sent me plunging into darkness. Everything changed that day, and all I remember are flames, and his eyes. Green, shimmering eyes of the same kind as the torched ruins behind him. Green framed in silver, and the flash of his sword as he ran me through.

Heh, look at that. My fingers are over where a scar should be, but there isn't one.

The voices had quieted two years ago, after I felled my once great hero, the idolized General whose name is yet whispered among those who remember. So many died then beneath Meteor's wrath, but humans have always managed to survive the worst.

Danger… Danger… That's all it was at first. I'd heard it before, but now, with Sephiroth dead and buried in his unmarked grave within the Lifestream? No one alive knows how to revive him again… we'd made sure of that in the aftermath. Midgar was destroyed, and no one had any further interest in mako or the old sciences.

Ugh. Thinking of mako makes my skin crawl, knowing its burning acids flow through me… I haven't aged a day in a good few years, and I'm in my twenties; they still ask for ID when I go out for a drink. I used to drink a bit, but I lost interest. What's the point, when one can't get drunk?

There's a sound down below, and I instinctively freeze in place, holding my breath. Soft steps, cushioned… and a gentle light flows over the porch, and the steps where I'm sprawled. A slender silhouette is framed in the aging wood – Tifa.

"A bit late for a stroll, isn't it?"

No answer at first, until she sits on the top step, her pink robe cinched tight around her waist. Brown eyes try to search my expression, but I don't have any to give – my attention is on the sky. It's a clear night, why not?

"It's late."

"Mm."

"Cloud, you haven't slept at all this week."

"It's not a big deal."

"You're not eating, either," she pointed out, her brow creasing. I hate when she does that, and I see it out the corner of my eye, drawing my gaze guiltily. It's not hard to know what's coming; she never was one to hide anything.

"What's the matter?"

"I don't know." It was an honest enough response, though not quite everything. I think she picked up on it, too, but surprisingly said nothing about it, choosing to stare at me in silence instead. I turned my eyes back to the stars, half-expecting something to happen.

"Cool air feels good," she commented quietly, shifting. "Hasn't been like this for a while."

"Mm." Still I watched, and I realized that I had focused on a single distant star, rapidly winking in and out as if seeking my attention.

And then, it vanished. The light was gone, leaving only a black space where light should have been. A chill ran through me, the air catching in my throat and choking me, forcing me to sit up as I coughed.

"…Cloud!" Tifa gasped in alarm, reaching for my shoulder. "Cloud, what's wrong?"

Can darkness have a shadow? Does it burn in a color deeper than night itself? Can it fall like a meteorite from the skies…?

The sudden tremors beneath my feet held the answer.

Phoenix, burn this chill within my heart…

.o.o.o.

_Stay here. I'll handle it._

He expects me not to worry? How can he be so nonchalant, running off like that? The man truly has some nerve… Then again, who am I to be so bothered by it?

Stay calm, Tifa, he took his sword with him. Not that it makes things even better – it simply gives a sense of some odd security. At least he won't be defenseless against… whatever it was that fell from the sky. It seemed like a shooting star, but shouldn't those glow…?

It reminded me of those childhood jumping shadows that lingered in the windows on moonless nights; the kind that make you cry out for a parent's aid, you saw a monster! A faceless thing in your room! Seeing it gave me chills like I haven't known in years. Not even Sephiroth had affected me so… no, what shook me the most was Cloud's immediate reaction. I wonder if he realized just how pale he went in that moment? Worrisome, and heavy on my heart… I wanted to go with him… but he left the PHS, ordering me to call the others if he hadn't returned quickly.

But what does he hope to find, there?


	2. Chapter 2

**SHADOW OF OBLIVION**

**II. Let there be Darkness…**

The ruins of Midgar were extensive; for many months no one even dared to near the furthest outskirts. "Cursed," many whispered, along with the hissed name of "Sephiroth". Mantras of death and destruction seemed to follow the man, now hoped truly dead, and with him the remains of ShinRa Corp's dynasty. The body of Rufus had not been recovered in the initial search and casualty counts, the penthouse office at the crown of the company completely obliterated by WEAPON's final cry. The Turks had yet to be found, and Professor Hojo's mangled corpse lay almost protectively over the controls of the city's Sister Ray; it was still there, as none had wanted to go anywhere near it. In fact, almost nothing had been disturbed after Meteor's descent, and a thick layer of black dust overshadowed all that remained.

But had a soul been there to witness, they would see the fresh tracks in the fine black blanket; a man who walked alone within the desolate graveyard of stone and glass. Ebony hair, tied behind him with a bit of cord held little contrast against his surroundings, which a pair of curious brown eyes surveyed with calculated interest. An odd mist had lifted in the last hour, soon after the earth-shaking crash that had roused him from his sleep. What was it here, calling out for his attention? Why did he feel so drawn to this place?

Movement at the edge of his vision sent him whirling in pursuit, but nothing was there, save for a small cloud of stirred soot. Curious… Narrowing his eyes, he cocked his head to listen, but only the wind could be heard, its song even quieter than when it had first greeted him, here.

Interest had indeed been piqued, and so the man took small strides towards the disturbed stones, fully alert. Still no sounds, but the shadows themselves seemed to quiver at his approach, even those sheltered by the full moon's light. He neared a clearing, and suddenly stopped, paralyzed by some sudden, remarkable wash of anxiety.

Was he dreaming? Had he come here at all? The darkness shifted beneath his feet, swirling around him and congealing into some grotesque whirlpool of dark mist…

_Our vessel… our key… _

Yes, he will do…

Burning… he couldn't breathe! Falling to his knees, the man clawed at his throat, eyes shut and his mouth dropped open in a silent scream, it hurt…

_Are you afraid?_

A gasp – air! No longer caring about the strange clouds that blocked out the light, he raised his head in search of the disembodied voice, so flat and without empathy… it intrigued him.

_Do you fear the darkness?_

Of course not… had he not come in search of it? A laugh dropped from his lips between his gulps for breath, sweat breaking across his furrowed brow.

_We will give you our knowledge… you need only surrender your heart. Give it to us!_

The voice did not wait for his answer, as if it had asked while already knowing his reply. He felt his body sink into the earth itself, his body twisting in impossible ways, but he couldn't see it, only feel the changes, the cold that burned in the hollow of his chest.

The darkness consumed him, and the man knew no more.

.o.o.o.

The jeep kicked up quite a bit of dust as Cloud roughly shoved his boot on the accelerator, and the acrid stench of burning rubber seared his nostrils in protest to such abuse. He hadn't wasted any time heading for where that sky-borne shadow had landed – Midgar. The irony was all too eerie… strange things seemed to always end up there; even now it was called a cursed place. Nothing grew, and hadn't since even before Meteor… the first grasses appeared about a mile outside the main walls, as if the Planet itself had rejected the cruelties of President ShinRa and his mako reactors long ago.

But those days were over, and the city had fallen into ruin. Now, after two years, the blond mercenary hastened to return, anxious to meet whatever drew him there so adamantly. Cloud was, in many ways, a child of Midgar and its experiments with the Planet's secrets; his fate had been sealed the day he'd signed on for SOLDIER training.

He'd left his chrono back at Tifa's, and with it the PHS. He hadn't wanted to deal with explaining anything to her, having left before she even tried to insist upon going with him. This wasn't something she needed to get involved in – somehow, he knew that. They were close, though admittedly not as much as he knew she wanted. But he couldn't give her what simply did not exist – to do so would only hurt them both in the end.

The ruins were in sight, and he released the pressure on the pedal at last. He noticed immediately the strange, off-color mist, and swirling clouds of dark soot. Blue eyes quickly surveyed the fallen buildings, the crushed homes and torched marketplaces for any source, but he could find none. His mouth twisted into a scowl, one that often warned his friends that trouble would soon find them, and swiftly sent the vehicle into a barely-controlled, careening stop within the outskirts. Through force of habit he strapped his sword to his back, double-checking the materia before heading towards the center of the silent remains. Cloud could feel the hair on his neck stand on end, an unnamable fear descending over him with that first step into the mist. It was a different feeling than he'd experienced in the Crater – no, that was the sort of thing that had a name or a face attached; something, or rather someone, that you could point a finger at. But this… this had no name, and it unnerved the mercenary that he couldn't shake the anxiety like he normally would.

Occasionally he would pause mid-step, raising a hand to rub at one temple. His head was pounding with wordless cries, warnings to turn back, that danger was near – he was more than used to those, and they'd only grown louder since the falling black star only an hour ago.

A sudden scream broke him from the pain-induced trance he'd unexpectedly fallen into, and his blood froze as the sound echoed monstrously among the lichen-infested mounds of girders and concrete. The next moment found him running top speed towards the source, and he paid no heed to the growing density of the rancid fog around him.

He'd known this city well, when it still stood, both above and below the separation plate. Now it was a mere labyrinth of unfamiliar corners and shattered paths; he spared a thought of irony, at how it compared to his own past, and whatever the future had in store. Fate did enjoy her humor, and yet again it threw the youth through a mind-numbing loop as the shadows themselves seemed to sway in delight upon his arrival.

"What in the…" Automatically his weapon was drawn, but the blade drew no glint of light from the stars, or the bright moon of such a clear evening. Cloud stared at Ultima, perplexed, but another scream sent his gaze towards a massing pool of… void. That's all he could muster for a description. No reflection, no color. Simply a lack of anything, save for a consistency much like tar.

The pool seemed to move as if it were living, pulsing outwards and in again without any sort of rhythm or reason. More cries, and he acted quickly, slashing at the stuff without a second thought. To his horror the sounds only intensified, and he took a nervous step back. Suddenly the pool expanded even wider than before, and seemed to melt away, seeping into the dead earth beneath Midgar. Cloud raised his gaze at last, and nearly dropped his sword when he saw the creature that had taken its place. Only a foot in height, crooked antennae seemed to pop out of a rounded head without a face or any sort of expression. A pair of glowing yellow eyes blinked at Cloud without any outward signs of intelligence, and it muttered a series of hisses as it watched him. It extended a thin hand with tendril-like fingers, the entire figure blacker than pitch. A chill fell over the swordsman, who took another step back in confusion.

"What are you…?" he murmured, tightening his grip on Ultima's hilt. _I've never seen anything like it before…_ His head began to pound, the sounds of the Planet nearly overwhelming now. But he refused to back down, standing his ground firmly against this… thing.

Sensing the danger, and perhaps the slight fear beneath his resolve, the creature leaped at him with a squealing sound. Digging his back boot into the shadowy soot, Cloud slashed reflexively, cleanly slicing it across its torso in mid-air. There was a light popping sound, and the thing vanished in a wisp of blackened vapor; the blond blinked in surprise, expecting something quite different. It definitely wasn't the reprise of hissing, as he turned to regard half a dozen more of the creatures lurking behind him.

"Heh… that eager for a beating, huh?" he lunged towards them before they had time to react, one swipe taking out two of them and leaving the rest to scatter.

After a few minutes, the swordsman realized all too late that the things only kept multiplying into greater numbers, and found himself surrounded in the clearing. _Great job, Strife, what now?_ He bit his lip anxiously, analyzing the situation; if he could muster a decent charge, he could plow through them and head for the jeep. A glance at his weapon suddenly prompted him to sheathe it, and he reached instead for a glowing orb embedded in one of his gauntlets. It shimmered with his touch, activating it even as he chanted softly.

_"Fire 3."_ He was running before the spell was released, heading straight through the closing circle of little black monsters. Spiraling flames surrounded him, arcing towards his enemies…

…and as they neared, promptly vanished. Blue eyes widened, but he'd gone too far to stop, already in the midst of tearing claws. Several leaped on him scratching and biting with teeth he couldn't make out in the formless faces. He fought back with kicks and punches of his own, but cried out as one landed on his shoulder, clamping down on it. A biting cold fell over him, and he tripped over a stone, landing roughly on his back with the creatures still crawling over him. The one on his shoulder squealed loudly, raising deformed fingers excitedly before plunging them _through his chest…_

Cloud screamed, his body paralyzed with chills. He swore he could feel a burst of light and heat within his chest, but it was slowly fading. He couldn't fight back…? Why…?

_No, not …not like this…_ A cough broke from his throat, and with it the coppery taste of his own blood. Almost idly he wondered how he'd lost control of the situation, how he had been so easily overcome. He'd defeated Sephiroth, but lost to a pack of shadows?

_Phoenix sure has one hell of a sense of humor…_

A shot rang out, and the shadows suddenly dispersed. Sudden light blinded him, forcing his eyes shut. Thunder itself seemed to rocket past Cloud's ears, until finally the cold began to leave him. Strange, why didn't it hurt anymore?

"You know, for a hero, you're still quite a fool."

The mercenary's eyes flew open, and their gaze landed swiftly upon a gently silhouetted figure upon the remains of an old ShinRa monument, smoke still seeping from the barrel of a raised shotgun. It perched like a hawk, or perhaps a proud mountain condor, carefully studying its prey. The moonlight – when had the light appeared again? he wondered – caught the edge of a crimson cape, and matching, glowing eyes stared intently back at him.

"I'd have thought you'd become less of the solitary type, after Meteor."

"Vincent!" he exclaimed, sitting up with a bit of a groan. Disregarding the scornful comment due to the wash of relief at seeing his once companion, Cloud managed a grin. "Chasing shooting stars, too?"

"Apparently." He swooped down, landing soundlessly in the soot and dust-covered pavement. "Although a better assessment would be that we're chasing shadows."

"…was that a joke?" Cloud asked in disbelief, earning him a glare from the gunman. With no further answer, he rose to his feet, placing a hand over his chest with a strange expression on his face. There were no marks where the creature's claws had been – his clothes weren't even torn. But where had the pain come from? What had it tried to do to him?

"Are you all right?" This time Cloud winced; Vincent had a knack for making concern seem more like a razor-edged accusation.

"I'm fine," he answered, waving him off. "Just a bit dazed. I think I hit my head back there. Where did our friends go?" It hit him that the shadows had disappeared completely, and with them the mist that had hung stubbornly over the fallen city.

"They seemed disinclined to continue their assault, once I arrived."

_Really. I hadn't noticed._ The blond resisted the urge to roll his eyes, running a hand through his mussed hair as he recalled the battle. _My materia didn't work… never seen anything like it…_

Seemingly reading his mind, Vincent frowned, and went on. "It might be wise to inform the others about this."

Cloud was already heading back to the jeep, not even bothering to wonder how Vincent had known where he was, and how he'd arrived so quickly. "I'll drive. You want shotgun?"

The gunman sat in back.

Cloud grinned, and floored it.

.o.o.o.

_Notes: Chapter 2 at last. I really enjoyed writing this one; Cloud's such a complex character and it's interesting to see what he does when pushed in certain directions. Hopefully he's in character – let me know!_


	3. Chapter 3

**SHADOW OF OBLIVION**

**III. AVALANCHE Reunited**

_(a week later)_

Cursing and giving a tug to the flight goggles sitting snugly atop his head, Cid Highwind took a long draft of his cigarette. It was the third one in the course of a few hours, despite the fact that he'd supposedly quit over a year ago.

_Got a damn good reason t'pick it up again,_ he muttered to himself, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. It was amazing to see how the town of Gongaga had grown, particularly after the reactor exploded two years past. The survivors had banded together and, with the help of the new ShinRa (partially because they, too, needed a place to recuperate), rebuilt their home just outside the old city limits. He stood now in the new ShinRa headquarters; so new, in fact, that he could still smell wet paint and see his own face in the floor tiles. Numerous people filed by, filtering past him in the hallway, but the grizzled pilot didn't notice any of them, letting out a cloud of smoke as he recalled what he'd learned a little while ago.

One hand clenched into an involuntary fist, and he started a bit at the twinge on one finger. Shaking off the leather work glove, the tiniest smile graced his features for the first time that day. A rather nondescript brushed-gold band lay on his ring finger, with a brilliant blue stone set into it. _To match your eyes,_ she'd said, with that shy smile of hers. He remembered that day as vividly as if it were yesterday, and wonderful as the memory was, it soured in comparison to the things now resting heavily upon his mind…

"Shit…" he muttered, raising that hand to his eyes.

.o.o.o.

_(sometime earlier)_

"Sorry m'late," he announced as he entered the room, pulling his goggles to sit atop mussed and dirty blond hair. The others were already there, it seemed, but Cloud seemed to be lingering in a corner, his face darkened with worry. That in itself was a bad sign to Cid – the kid had rarely been known to express any strong emotion. Even Vincent, the prince of stoicism itself, seemed edgy, right hand resting on the shotgun against his hip.

Red XIII paced the floor near the doorway like a caged cat (the accuracy of the metaphor made him grin to himself), with Tifa looking on in silence. Only Barrett seemed to be missing; he'd supposedly had some urgent business to take care of back in Corel.

A thin man looked up to greet the pilot, his chin length black hair having grown a few inches, pulled back, and already streaked with grey. The time after Meteor had certainly not been kind to him; in the absence of the ShinRa company leaders, he had slowly placed himself in the position of President (with the help of old comrades, including Cid himself), and was working to rebuild what parts of the Planet had been destroyed. Mako refineries as a whole had been shut down in favor of the much cleaner resources of coal, and he had pushed greatly for research seeking new forms of energy that wouldn't harm the Lifestream.

Cid took one look at his friend, and let out a bark of laughter. "Reeve, you look older than I do!"

Reeve gave him a nervous sort of smile; he'd never been comfortable with the pilot, let alone anyone currently in the room. He'd worked as a double agent during the Sephiroth days, helping both AVALANCHE and ShinRa using a robotic, stuffed mog and a slender cat named Cait Sith sitting on its head. In the end, of course, he'd realized the corruption of the company, and at last finally sided with Cloud and his party.

"Mm, well, I've been busy," he replied at last, laughing a bit. "Rebuilding the company from the ground up hasn't been all that easy." He clasped his hands behind his back, trying to hide his apprehension. "Have you been told anything?"

"Doubt I'd be here if I had, eh?" the pilot quipped, raising an eyebrow. "Seems everyone else has, though. What're all th' dark looks about?"

"Prolly 'cuz _you_ just showed up here, gramps!"

Cid whirled, about to let whoever-it-was have it with a string of choice words that would likely make Don Corneo blush – and immediately rolled his eyes upon recognizing who insisted on ruining his mood today. Standing bent over with a childish grin and a mischievous glint in her eyes, Yuffie waggled a finger at the pilot in warning.

"Ah, ah, watch the language! I'm still a minor!"

"Damn ninja… you're still a _major_ pain in the—"

"Ahem." Someone coughed, and Cid fell silent, realizing that everyone was suddenly looking at him. He straightened, still glaring at Yuffie, and cleared his own throat awkwardly to excuse himself, deciding to chew her out later.

Surprisingly, it was Vincent who stepped forward, glancing around the room silently. Red padded along behind him, his claws clicking on the floor slightly with each step. The gunman seemed pensive, but his crimson eyes were narrowed with distinct worry; it was somewhat out of character, and thus disconcerting to see.

"Over the past few weeks, the stars have been disappearing."

Cid felt compelled to laugh, but stifled it quickly when the others sent him disdainful glares. He looked away quickly, nonplussed that he'd made a fool out of himself twice in five minutes.

"Red," Vincent continued, and motioned to the scarlet feline sitting at his feet now, "do you want to explain?"

"Mm." Red XIII raised his muzzle, giving a bit of a growl and shaking his dark mane. "According to the instruments back in Cosmo Canyon, Vincent worded the situation perfectly." A glance was sent Cid's direction, which made him shift uncomfortably. "There was no supernova, or a problem with the star charts; they have simply vanished, as if they were never there at all. Furthermore, our calculations indicate that a total of ten stars have shared this fate within nine months."

"Soo, what's that got to do with us?" The ninja girl, now seated in a chair with her feet set upon the conference table, spread her arms into a wide shrug. "I mean, they're just stars, right? Too far away to mean anything."

"You're wrong."

All attention turned to the darker corner of the room, where Cloud stood isolated from the rest. He raised his head at last, regarding each of his friends in turn with serious gaze.

"There's more to it than that." With careful steps he circled the conference table, mako-blue eyes literally glowing with intensity. "Last week, a strange meteor landed in the center of Midgar." Pause, and an almost haunting expression that Vincent seemed to mirror. "Strange creatures seem to have come from it. I can't even put a name to them – I've never seen them before."

_Wait, so we're dealing with space aliens here?_ This time Cid didn't laugh; maybe it was due to the solemn nods of acknowledgement coming from Tifa and Reeve. Or maybe it was the memory of the twisted figure of JENOVA… _Damned creepy…_

"… since then, there have been reports of these 'black, shadowy shapes' appearing all over the Planet. Red has also pointed out that each of these occurrences coincided with a minor ground quake in that area." Reeve finished the explanation succinctly, taking a seat at last at the head of the table and resting his chin on one hand. "The question is, what are these creatures, and what are they doing to the Planet?"

"It's still recovering from Meteor and JENOVA's poisons," Tifa pointed out, biting her lip. "Could the quakes simply be coincidence?"

The new ShinRa leader shook his head. "It lines up too perfectly, so we ruled that one out after several incidents. No, there's something going on in the Planet again, and these things are the cause of it." He reached into a folder, pulling out a few scattered and unorganized notes, maps, and field paperwork. "I should also add that around the time the shooting star hit, there's been a drastic rise in the missing persons count."

Thinking on that a moment, Cid frowned. He eyed one of the maps that Reeve was laying out, noting that as yet, the attacks weren't too near Rocket Town. No red X's, arrows or bright circles – so things at home were safe so far. Ground quakes, missing people and erased stars? Things were going over his head faster than he could spit out a curse.

"Can we fight back?" he spoke up, fidgeting again. His hand wormed its way into the pocket of his jacket, and he noted to himself offhandedly that there was still a pack of his old smokes in there. "I mean, we've pretty much figured out that they're violent, so why don't we just wipe 'em off the map?"

"It's not as easy as it sounds, Cid," Cloud replied. "They'll die pretty easily, but then three or four more pop up in their place. It's like they're made of shadows, and there's no end to them."

.o.o.o.

_No end to them._ The words echoed in his mind again – the rest of the briefing had gone by as a complete blur. The last thing he remembered consciously doing was pulling out a cigarette and lighting up, the habit resurfacing as the stress of things began to sink in.

He'd finished the one currently in his mouth, and let it drop, stamping out the ashes with his boot. An odd urge filled him to call home, and he resolved to do it later, once he got back to the _Highwind,_ his prized airship.

"Oi, gramps!"

_Not this again…_ "What!" he shouted back, turning to face the girl running towards him from the conference room, and watching as she darted through small groups of passers-by to reach him. Skidding to a halt, she gave him a mocking salute, panting a bit to catch her breath.

"I've got orders from Reeve!"

"Yeah right. Now whaddya want, already?"

She stuck out her tongue at him, her hands on her hips defiantly. "We're supposed to head for Nibelheim and check out some people there. I've got a message to deliver, too." She held out a folder with Reeve's handwriting on it, sealed shut.

"Nibelheim? Nothin' important is ever there anymore," he grunted. There was nothing he hated more than playing post boy, and furthermore being sent off on some useless side-mission.

"There is now!" the ninja chirped, brushing past him. "Now let's get going!"

"Now, you wait just a minute, you little brat! Who said you were setting foot in my ship again!"

.o.o.o.

_Notes: Looks like I'll be posting these once a week, due to my hectic schedule. I'm kind of playing around with the points of view, and thus far I've had the most fun digging into Cid's mind. Let me know what you think!_

_Omega Light_


	4. Chapter 4

**SHADOW OF OBLIVION**

**IV. Captive Shadows**

**  
**  
With an all-too-familiar surge of queasiness, Yuffie ran top speed up the steps to the main deck, sucking in a breath of fresh air as she headed for the railing. She slumped against it in a near-collapse, the chilled metal giving her some comfort as the wind whipped at her hair. She'd forgotten how much she hated flying, and aboard the _Highwind_ in particular. Even worse was the smirk its captain had given her, once she realized she would once again be the unwilling passenger.

"Ugh…are we there yet…?" she muttered to no one, wiping the cold sweat from her face weakly. _Gotta admit, the view's pretty nice, if nothing else_. There was nothing wrong with actually being off the ground, or simply being at high altitudes—she'd scaled the peaks of Da Chao back home hundreds of times without a problem… it was just all the movement, and the commotion involved in flying. The bridge was the worst for her – all the shouting (courtesy of Captain Cid himself), the blinking lights and bustling about; it was all in all quite stifling to someone like Yuffie, who'd grown up in the more traditional lifestyle that Wutai had to offer.

Well… aside from her position as princess, of course, which offered certain… liberties. Her father, Godo, hadn't been at all pleased when she was summoned to Gongaga. Though he knew and acknowledged that the ShinRa family itself was no longer in control of the company, he nevertheless had no faith whatsoever in the futuristic technologies and newfangled ideas it idealized.

"'Keep to your roots, and the future grows tall'," she recited to herself in mild amusement, the old proverb ringing clearly in her father's commanding tone. At one time she'd embraced the notion, but when Wutai itself had become nothing more than a tourist attraction as a means for survival, her philosophy quickly changed direction. Of course, becoming a materia thief wasn't exactly a much better profession, but the ninja decided then (and still believed) that it was a necessary sacrifice of honor until she found a better way. Besides, she needed the gil! Materia ran at high prices these days, what with the halts in production…

That "better way," however, had certainly been found in Cloud and his companions. In them she'd found steadfast friends, and more importantly, ties to power. Godo would never admit to it, but upon Reeve's quick rise in rank after Meteor, Wutai and its people began to see better days than ever before.

Forgetting where she was for a moment, Yuffie stared down at the passing landscape and countryside, watching with fascination as the dark mountains surrounding Nibelheim came into view. Their twisted cliffs loomed high in the sky, daring the brave to trespass their pristinely snowcapped peaks. They were so different than the passes of Da Chao, which were fiery and alive, almost welcoming. No, these gave a much more ominous feeling, blackened and cold stone glaring indignantly at the cloudy skies above.

She could already see the small town of Nibelheim, possessively hidden within the shadow of the largest mountain, Mt. Nibel. Two years ago, it was little more than a typical small town, without much to do, and everyone went about the same business, the same time, every day. Very little of interest ever happened there, and they usually weren't too keen on the idea of outsiders, or the outside world at all. The mountains protected them from most worldly events; not even the return of Sephiroth had fazed them very much. Idly, the thought struck her that things might be different now. Reeve had proposed a network of sorts, an alliance between the towns and provinces to help in the rebuilding. As far as she knew, most had given a positive reaction; funny how it took a global cataclysm (or a breath away from it) to bring people together on such a wide scale.

Eh, but politics and politicking bored her to death. Life in Wutai bored her, particularly since her father enjoyed entertaining the notion of marrying her off and delegating managerial duties to her… She'd much rather be out training, or simply wandering around… large groups of people… sniffing for materia…

The ground grew nearer, bringing the girl back to her senses, and her stomach back to full spin-cycle. Groaning, she braced herself and leaned over the railing. _Here we go…_

.o.o.o.

"Bring 'er down easy, boys, nice and slow." Cid crossed his arms, watching the younger pilots scurry to carry out his orders. He was dealing with green recruits again, as per Reeve's request – the military needed to be rebuilt from the ground up, much like everything else, and the training of aerial forces had been passed all too quickly to Cid.

_Like I don't already have enough to do._

They hit some turbulence during the descent, and someone panicked, slamming on the compensators and jolting the ship off-course.

"Dammit!" he shouted. "Perkins, stop bein' so jumpy or I swear, you'll be washing windows during the ride back!" A cadet jumped, squeaking in reply, and moved to correct his mistake. Cid took a long breath as his plane steadied, patting the console he stood beside.

"There we go."

"Uh, sir?" a blond youth, no more than seventeen, glanced up and tapped his headset. "I'm getting a radio signal from Nibelheim."

"Eh?" he raised an eyebrow, turning. Silence, and the pilot tapped his foot impatiently. "Out with it, kid! What's it say?"

The teen – Cid suddenly recalled his name to be Barker – jumped with the rest of the crew at the stern reprimand, and pulled the headset out of his ear. "Um, t-they're asking for you…"

Rolling his eyes, he snatched the gadget away and hooked it up to his own console, tapping the microphone experimentally. "Cid here, whaddya want?"

_Charming as ever, eh Highwind?_ a voice crackled across the air with the sound of laughter.

He blinked, not sure what to make of the comment. Where had he heard that voice before…? "Who th' hell is this?"

_Aw. Getting senile in your old age, pops?_ More laughter, then some strange noises, until finally a second voice took over.

_Highwind, you and Kisaragi are to report to the inn upon landing. We'll be waiting for you there._ The connection was promptly cut before the pilot could answer, his face twisted into an expression of pure confusion. "I've heard him before, too…" Shaking his head, he left the bridge with a few more directions to his second-in-command, who stepped up to take his place smoothly at his departure.

He knew exactly where Yuffie would be, and headed up to the main deck, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket. Noting that she seemed to be done revisiting her lunch for the moment, he relayed the message from below before turning back again, this time heading for his personal cabin. _No sense in watching her get sick all over again._ The notion struck that there might be a mess to deal with later, much to his chagrin, but he figured he'd set Perkins to the task.

Pushing open the door to his quarters, he ignored the relative messy state, locating his mobile PHS almost immediately on the dresser, beneath his pack of trusty cigs. Turning it on and clicking speed dial, he didn't have to wait too long before a soft, comforting voice picked up.

_"Hello? Highwind residence."_

"…hey."

_"Cid? Is that you?"_ the demeanor quickly changed, and the pilot could nearly hear his wife's smile.

"Yup, it's me, Shera."

_"Oh, it's so good to hear from you! How did things go in Gongaga?"_

"Er… okay I s'pose. Listen, Shera… I'm not gonna be home for a while." There was a bit of silence, and he scowled to himself, not knowing what to say, and not wanting to tell her anything was wrong. Not yet, at least. "I uh… Reeve wanted me to do some training missions with the brats. Think you can hold the fort for a while?"

_"Oh… of course! Of course I can, Captain! Take as long as you need, and have fun!"_ A chuckle rumbled in his throat as she fell into her old habit, but now he considered the address-by-rank as more of an endearment, coming from her.

"Uh… yeah. Sure thing. Be safe, okay? And uh… Iloveyou," he added as an afterthought, grinning in slight embarrassment. He was still learning to say such things aloud, and of course both of them knew he'd never do it in front of others.

A quiet laugh from her end. _"I love you too. Don't get into any trouble."_ The line disconnected, and Cid let out a breath he'd been holding, his conscience burning with the lie. Then again, what she didn't know wouldn't worry her, and that was the last thing he needed.

The landing whistles sounded, bringing him back to the present. Nibelheim awaited, and maybe he'd finally get some answers about what was going on.

.o.o.o.

"LAND!" squealing her delight, the teenage ninja sprang from the steps leading from the _Highwind_ and bounded to the ground, flopping to her knees and planting a large kiss on the dirt. Cid rolled his eyes as he followed leisurely behind, pausing only to extinguish the butt of his cigarette before continuing past her. "Damn kids…"

At first glance, the town appeared relatively unchanged. But with closer scrutiny, he realized that many of the townspeople had brighter looks in their eyes, and smiled at the landing party in gracious welcome. The main square, originally quite empty, now boasted a carved fountain in the center, and the shops had grown considerably in size and number. The roads still retained their rustic quality in polished cobblestones, and bright yellow chocobos still cantered over them, dragging carts of crops and tools close behind. It seemed very backward to Cid, but at the same time gave him a strange sort of homely comfort. Shaking it off, he continued on towards the inn.

No one occupied the lobby instead of the desk clerk, which slightly perturbed him. "Is this the right inn?" he thought gruffly aloud.

The plump woman behind the desk perked up at hearing him, giving him a bright smile. "It's the only one in town, sir. Would you be Mr. Highwind?"

"The only one in town," he answered with a grin, which faded as he received a rather confused look.

"I see… Well, I was asked to tell you to wait here a moment. Your friends will be joining you shortly."

"Thanks." _Great._ Muttering a good few choice curses, he dropped down into the main sofa, after a few minutes realizing that Yuffie hadn't followed him inside. Raising his head to look around, he didn't have to wait much longer before he heard a distinctive shriek outside.

"Of all the—" he growled loudly, throwing the door open. "Yuffie, what in the world is—"

Cid stopped dead, his jaw dropped open in disbelief.

"Heh heh, check this out. Old man's havin' a heart attack or somethin'. You'd think he'd seen a ghost, eh Rude?" With a smirk more infuriating than a cheshire cat's, a slender figure stood with one hand on his hip, the other balancing a nightstick on his shoulders. Thin scars underlined sly green eyes, wild red hair sticking up where it wasn't tied back at his neck. Behind him stood a much taller man, bald and seemingly expressionless behind a pair of dark sunglasses. They seemed out of place in lacking the distinctive blue suits that many had grown to fear in the old days, but Cid knew the Turks when he saw them. Obviously Yuffie did, too, from the way she stood frozen and gaping at them stupidly.

"Reno! Th' hell!"

"In the flesh, pops."

"But but but!" the ninja insisted, pointing a finger at them both. "You're like… DEAD!"

The redhead burst into hysterical laughter, clapping a hand on his companion's shoulder to keep himself upright. The latter raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, waiting for Reno to compose himself.

"Ha ha! That's a good one, kid!" Fixing his gaze on her, he strutted towards the girl, spreading his arms wide. "But as you can see, we're alive and quite healthy." He gave a conspiratorial wink. "Care to test it?"

"Ugh!" instinctively she pulled out Conformer, her three-foot shuriken. "Get away from me, Turk scum!"

"Whoo Hey Highwind, call off the ankle-biter, will ya?" he stepped back, still grinning. "I'm not here to hit on the little girl, anyway. You have a message for us, right?"

Finding his voice at last, Cid cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah. She's got it."

No one moved.

"Yuffie."

"…"

"YUFFIE!"

"All right, already!" pulling the folder out of seemingly nowhere, she threw it at Reno's feet in disgust. He gave her a mocking bow, at the same time kicking the thin parcel in Rude's general direction. The silent Turk picked it up, not bothering to brush it off before tucking it under his arm.

"Now then, if you'll care to follow us, there's someone we want you to meet." All of a sudden Reno's face had melted into a mask of professionalism, one that chilled Cid to see – it was one he remembered seeing before going into battle with the Turks, a memory he wasn't all that fond of. Suddenly glad that they were on his side this time (or at least, it appeared that way), he trailed after them, with Yuffie grumbling at his heels.

.o.o.o.

_Knock knock._

"Enter."

The door to a low-lit room opened, and the group of four tread lightly inside, with Reno in the lead. With a nervous cough, he gestured to the two newcomers.

"Hey Prof, this is—"

"Cid Highwind and Yuffie Kisaragi. Yes, I know, you've already informed me of their arrival." A shape emerged from the shadows, and the first thing Cid noticed, aside from an impressive height that surpassed Rude's six foot three, was the strange color of his eyes. They seemed to glow as if from a mako infusion, much like Cloud or Vincent's, but he'd never seen a shade like his: a vivid, burnt orange, much like cooling lava. His hair also inspired curiosity; the man himself seemed quite young, and notably dark in complexion, but shock white hair down past his shoulders was the last thing the pilot expected to see.

As if sensing his gaze, the man met it, raising an eyebrow and sticking both hands in the pockets of his lab coat. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"Erm, no…" he struggled for a believable excuse, "I was just wonderin'… what was going on in here, is all." Indeed, the room seemed quite empty, but he'd noticed that there were several locks on the door. A table here, some scattered notes tacked on the wall there, and an empty glass cage in a secluded, dark corner.

"Mm." He gave a strange smile, one that seemed unnervingly off-kilter. "Ah, but pardon my rudeness. You may call me Ansem."

"He's studying the Heartless," Reno added quickly, answering the unspoken question, but inevitably opening another.

"The what?" Yuffie had piped up at last, her attention fixed on the glass cage. Ansem stepped towards it, that odd grin widening. As he did so the shadows within the cage congealed, and glowing yellow eyes appeared, staring blankly out at its visitors. A hissing sound glided into the air, and Cid shivered with a sudden chill he couldn't place.

"This, my friends," the white-haired man announced proudly, "is a Heartless."

.o.o.o.

_Notes: The Turks! I love them all, especially after watching Advent Children and Last Order. More Cid here, some Yuffie, and Ansem at last; he's going to be the most difficult character to write by far. It'll be some time before the next chapter… I hoped to get it done by this weekend, but we'll see what college lets me accomplish._

_As always, reviews are most welcome!_

_Omega Light_


	5. Interlude 1

SHADOW OF OBLIVION

_Interlude One_

_

* * *

_

Ansem, both a meticulous scientist and an observant man, kept a report, a journal of his findings and discoveries about the world of darkness. The italicized sections of this interlude are quoted directly from Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

"_Much of my life has been dedicated to pursuit of knowledge. That knowledge has guarded this world well. Not a soul doubts that. I am blessed with people's smiles and respect."_

Saving the world? He was not interested in things that were so trivial. The thought of preserving life on such a large scale was of course significant, but not the top priority; understanding life and what gave it meaning ensnared the entirety of his attention.

For years he had studied, and for years after he had tested and pushed himself to the limits, surpassing his peers and pursuing topics no one had ever thought to research. In Ansem's mind, Meteor could not have fallen at a better time; ShinRa refused to review any of his work regarding alternate energy sources, even when Dr. Gast (may he rest in peace) announced his own support. No… to ShinRa, the ideas were dangerous for the company to even consider!

Forced to discontinue his research indefinitely (and considering it only a temporary setback), he focused instead on learning about the human psyche. A trip to Wutai opened his eyes to ancient ideologies nearly forgotten by man, and the new interest consumed Ansem's mind completely.

"_But though I am called a sage, there are things I do not understand. I believe darkness sleeps in every heart, no matter how pure. Given the chance, the smallest drop can spread and swallow the heart. I have witnessed it many times." _

Many philosophies, he discovered, expounded upon the duality of existence, the most popular being "light and dark". The Lifestream was light; it nurtured life and protected the Planet from darkness, or the things that sought its elimination, such as JENOVA.

Magic as a practice also contained elements supporting this theory; a user could activate materia with the positive or negative energy of his own intent, and the effects upon the spell would vary. Many hypothesized that light held more power than dark, but wouldn't that negate such notions of equality and balance?

It was this question that drove Ansem into a completely different direction.

"_Darkness... Darkness of the heart. How is it born? How does it come to affect us so? As ruler of this world, I must find the answers. I must find them before the world is lost to those taken by the darkness."_

The fall of the ShinRa and its ruling family had struck the first chord of his victory symphony, and Reeve, the president's replacement, set the key. Now, with the necessary funds and materials, the grand finale that would immortalize him forever was at hand.

_

* * *

.o.o.o. _

_Notes: I finally figured out how to use the rulers in document manager-- go me! _

_And now, dear readers, I offer a choice: whose point of view will appear next in this tale? I am currently at a crossroads where anything can happen, so I'm letting you decide for me. The choices are:_

_Cid Highwind_

_Cloud Strife_

_Vincent Valentine_

_Reno_

_Reeve Tuesti_

_Tifa Lockheart_

_And a second question: Should I continue the story with mixed interludes like this one? _

_Let me know!_

_-Omega Light_


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